Summary
Wars of the Roses Unit Summary all notes
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- Wars of the Roses
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- OCR
Wars of the Roses Unit Summary all notes, all reigns
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Wars of the Roses 1445-1509Outbreak of the Wars
What was the role of the king?
Powers of the king Limitations of his power
● Decided when parliament met ● Could not change law or raise taxes
● Reward patronage without parliament
● Decide war or peace with other ● Had to ask neighbours for military
countries support in war
● Expected to lead an army to war ● Expected to lead an army into war
● Punish people who went against him
Law and Order 1445-1450:
Why did law and order break down in 1445?
- Nobility abused power and took advantage of a weak king
- The nobles argued over who should own what land due to it being their main source
of prosperity
- Henry did not settle the land disputes
- The nobles got lawyers or turned to violence to resolve issues
- The gentry team up with nobility and gain protection to be used against in their legal
fights
- Kebry gave patronage to favourites
The Paston Family disputes
The Paston family manor in Norfolk was taken over by Robert Hungerford, Lord Molyen and his wife
but returned it to the family. The Pastons wanted justice and to see punishment. The Molyens were
key in Suffolk under Duke of Suffolk (the King’s favourite) due to the weak king. Powerful people were
taking advantage of the situation by not getting punishment and the Pastons not being able to file a
strong case- losing it.
The king did not supply help to the Pastons so they gathered their own weapons and demanded the
manor. The nobility were exempt from the law as there was no point in trying him due to noble
connections. Henry told the sheriff to acquit as Suffolk infused the king to do so
The Duke of Suffolk
● Began life as an earl and had no paintings as he was “newly powerful”/ not from a historic line
of people
● Has a successful military campaign in france under both Henrys
● Henry made him Lord Chamberlain as became a favourite so had the most influence over
Henry. This was over York (the heir presumptive) and Gloucester (The King’s uncle) who she
should have taken advice from but didn’t, angering them
● Lack of war chest finds due to the expenses of France so Suffolk raised taxes which angered
people
● Henry favouried peace as an alternative to taxes, but Suffolk getting peace would make the
king look weak
● 1444- Treaty of Tour and Henry’s marriage to Margaret of Anjou. This is the reason of failure
of the war as he tries to unite the countries
● 1447- Treaty of Troyes- Maine and Anjou returned to France and Suffolk keeps this as secret
● Gloucester critiques this but was imprisoned and died in his care- suspicious
, ● Nov 1449- Parliament accused Suffolk of treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London
● Henry stopped the execution and ordered Suffolk to exile for five years in Burgundy
● His ship is captured in dover and executed with a rusty sword
Patronage and tax
Patronage Tax
- Far too generous- gave Eton College - Inherited large debt from dad but
(endowment) and King's college wanted peace so not taxes had to be
Cambridge money raised
- Favourites took advantage of him by - Customs revenue was dropping from
rewarding themselves and followers 1445-50
with money and land - Parliament didn’t want to raise taxes for
- Became less financially stable (already a losing war
poor due to HYW) as he couldn't cover - Henry wanted to rebuild warchest to pay
Crown costs so had to borrow money off debt- Treaty of Tours
from nobility - Treasurer used some of warchest to pay
- 1450 Act of Resumption to get some of off kings debt which annoyed people as
the king’s land back by reclaiming land that is not what they
and nibbles had to give back land and - payed taxes for
money causing dislikes. This was - Peace ended in 1449
unsuccessful and another had to be - Couldn't pay soldiers which was
done a year later humiliating and was accused of heavy
- Henry rewarded his favourites causing favouritism which caused huge tension
dislike and tension- Adam Molyen made
Bishop of Chichester and Keeper of the
Privy Seal
- Too much patronage was given to some
nobles- Suffolk dominance of his faction
- noble tension
- York and Gloucester didn't get as much
patronage which angered them
York and Somerset Rivalry
1443- John Beaufort (1st Duke of Somerset) appointed governor of Gascony which York saw as a
challenge to his authority as Lieutenant of France
- King chose to back Somerset’s campaign rather than York’s in Normandy which ended in
failure
- York failed campaign in Dieppe due to lack of funds
1445- York paid for role in France (Between 1444 and 1451 Somerset not paid)
1447- Somerset replaces York as Lieutenant of France, York made Lieutenant of Ireland but didn't
leave for another two years
1449- York’s land in Rouen lost, blames Somerset for it for not protecting it
- Somerset paid but York had to wait for £38,000 from king so had to sell manor to cover costs
1450- York returned form Ireland after Suffolk’s death to dins Somerset was King’s favourite
1452- Dartford Copy to show frustration over Somerset
- York wrote a letter to people of Shrewsbury to explain actions, blaming somerset for the loss
of Normandy and accused Somerst of turning people against York (evidence of hostility)
Who was to blame for the loss of France?
Somerset- slow and incompetent to defend against french attacks as Lieutenant and lost Normandy
,English Government under Suffolk- Failed to use time given to prepare so had potential to win during
treaty of Tours peace in 1444
Henry VI- Military was underfunded and poorly lead due to King’s inability to lead and lack of plan
Problems caused by the loss of land:
● Somerset lost prestige and became a huge factor to the start of the civil war (loss of
reputation and violence towards him)
● English pride was diminished as the king took no action to do anything about lost land
● Refugees in England who were in Normandy were homeless causing outrage
● Trade was reduced as Northern France towns were no longer English so the economy
worsened
● Naval attacks from the French increased in Kent and Sussex
● Adam Molyen killed ny unpaid soldiers
● Cade’s rebellion
● Angry soldiers returned from war
How did the loss in France add to the government's unpopularity?
- Accusations of incompetence, mishandling of funds and interference in the judicial system,
and bad advice given to the king led to criticism
- High tax which payed for losses left the government facing accusations of mishandling money
as people didn't like paying for wars that they wouldn't win
- People felt vulnerable to attacks in the channel and focused anger of Suffolk
- York returning to England to replace Suffolf was gaining favour
Cade’s Rebellion:
Causes:
- Influx of people from Normandy
- Loss of lands by Somerset caused damage to English pride and moral- unpaid soldiers
- King;s corruption of ruling and patronage
- Suffolk’s government being untrustworthy and weak/ corrupt
- Taxes were unjust and heightened due to the KIng’s reckless patronage
- Justice was not properly implemented
- Favourites were allowed to stay in office despite their misgovernance and loss in france
Events:
May 1450- Began in Kent after the death of Suffolk. Men head to Blackheath so King sense men lead
by Archbishop Strafford and Cardinal Kemp to persuade rebels to ask for a royal pardon
Created a new sense of resolve among rebels as Sir Humphrey Stafforf and William Stafford
were killed
Retainers for the king threatened to join the rebellion unless dishonest nobles were arrested
(Lord Dudley, Lord Saye). Henry ordered lord Saye’s arrest and fled to Kenilworth castle
1st July- Cade and rebels moved to Southwark
3rd July– cross London Bridge after some resistance
Said that anyone who pillage would be put to death but didn't listen so goods were sent to
Rochester but seized
Margaret gives the rebels who leave a royal pardon and a price is put on Cade’s head to capture him
as Adam Molyen and William Aiscough had been killed
Cade was captured by the sheriff of kent and is hung drawn and quartered with head put on a spike
, Early actions of Richard Duke of York
Why did York return from Ireland?
To bring justice and end corruption:
For: Made a public statement about bringing traitors to justice and offered personal help to solve
household law and order, gave hope to ordinary people and would willingly address their complaints,
helped out on council despite never having majority
Against; worried ending corruption would link him to Cade’s rebellion (seen as a leader) so decided he
would attack the ‘evil people’ who supported the king, used justice just to show loyalty to the king,
wanted to be closer to king
To take the throne:
For: Man in Ipswitch planned to put him on the throne and so did one of the Molyens but both killed for
treason, manifesto after rebellion said king should take heavy advice from him, heir presumptive
Against: Known for wanting to serve the king and proclaimed loyalty to him, achieving gaols through
democracy
To clear his name:
For: Cade used Mortimer name linking himself to York which made him look like he supported them,
Traitors like Gloucester were treated badly and York feared this, snet messages to king to prove
loyalty
Against: brought 3000 men back which looked like a threat
Get his loans repaid:
For: wanted government to pay hi, as was owed £26000 as Lieutenant of Ireland, had to pay retainers
and keep up appearances and to do this he needed to sell land
Against: running government would ensure he was paid and was the richest nobleman
Wanted to protect his position:
For: believed it was rightfully his position as senior nobleman of the realm to be chief advisor, wanted
to protect his position as heir presumptive as Somerset was also of royal blood, no nobility supported
his claim and saw it as a power grasp against somerset
To remove Somerset:
For; felt position as chief advisor was his, felt Somerset should not have the power he had as it looks
like a reward for losing in France, which was mostly York’s, was a political enemy of his
Against: protests in London fueled by the losses in France were stirred up by York’s arrival causing
Somerset to be placed in the Tower of London for his own protection
1452; Dartford Coup
Causes:
- Henry didn’t listen to his wishes and demands to remove Somerset
- Somerset looked like he was being rewarded for losing land in France
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